Liquid chilling devices



May 26, 1964 R. R. HANSON LIQUID CHILLIN G DEVICES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed Jan. 15, 1962 FIG.5

INVENTOR. ROY R. HANSON ATTOR NEY May 26, 1 R. R. HANSON LIQUID CHILLINGDEVICES 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 15, 1962 YINVENTOR.

ROY R. HANSON ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,134,244 HQUID HILLHNGDEVFCES Roy R. Hanson, 155 Cumberland Drive, Maryiand Heights, Mo.,assignor of one-fourth to William H. Anderson, Gleneoe, Men, one-fourthto Joseph H- Schierman, and one-fourth to George A. Biase, both of St.Louis, Mo.

Filed Jan. 15, 1%2, er. No. 166,277 9 (Ilaims. (Cl. 62-471) Thisinvention relates in general to certain new and useful improvements inrefrigerating equipment and, more particularly, to liquid chillingdevices.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a liquidcooling device or so-called liquid chiller which combines the variouscomponents of a refrigerating system into an efficient, compact andself-contained unit.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a liquidchilling device of the type stated which operates with a full-floodedevaporator, thereby eliminating the requirement for a surge tank.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a liquidchiller of the type stated which operates with a dry condenser.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a liquidchiller of the type stated which has built-in refrigerant controls andrequires no external control devices other than a thermostat.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a liquidchiller of the type stated which has a low power requirement and,therefore, operates at low cost and at high efficiency.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a liquidchiller of the type stated which is compact in size, sturdy inconstruction, and economical to manufacture.

In the accompanying drawings (three sheets)- FIG. 1 is a sideelevational view of a liquid chilling device constructed in accordancewith and embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional View taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 4, 5, and 6, are fragmentary sectional views taken along lines 44,5-5, and 6-6, respectively, of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 2.

Referring now in more detail and by reference characters to thedrawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, A designates a liquid chiller comprising an outer cylindricalhousing 1 having an integrally formed outwardly extending annular flange2 extending around the periphery of its upper margin. An inwardly dishedbottom plate 3 having a depending peripheral flange 4 is welded to thelower end of the housing 1. Mounted on, and supported by, the flange 2is a conventional A.C. electric motor M having a cylindrical statorcasing 5 which integrally includes a dish-shaped top wall 6. integrallyformed on and extending around the lower peripheral margin of the statorcasing 5 is an outwardly extending flange "i which is welded to theflange 2, thereby enclosing the motor M in an hermetically sealedinternal chamber c.

Rigidly secured to, and extending around, the stator casing 5 is acircular cross-plate 8 having an axially upstanding peripheral flange h,an annular series of uniformly spaced small ports p, and a large centralaperture 10. The electric motor M includes a field winding 11 which issupported by the flange 9 within the stator casing 5. Disposed axiallywithin the field Winding 11 and 3,134,244 Patented May 26, 1964 iceMounted on, and carried by, the external end of the shaft 13, is arotatable condenser housing 18 including an upper circular top wall 19and an integrally formed.

depending cylindrical wall 20, the latter being provided with aplurality of circumferentially spaced elongated apertures 21 andoutwardly projecting blades 22 which serve as air impellers. Mountedconcentrically on the exterior of the stator casing 5, and held rigidlyin spaced relation by a plurality of axial spacer-strips 23, is aspirally wound condenser tube 24. When the condenser housing 13 isrotated with the shaft 13, air will be drawn up through the open bottominto heat exchange relation with the condenser tube 24 and thereupondischarged through the apertures 21 by the blades 22.

Mounted on the underside of the cross-plate 8 by means of bolts 25 is acompressor 26 which includes a cylindrical compressor casing 27 andupper and lower spaced end-plates 28, 29, respectively. The end-plates28, 29, are each annularly grooved to accommodate annular sealing rings39, 31, preferably formed of neoprene rubber. The end-plates 28, 29, arealso provided with outwardly extending bosses 32, 33, which are boredfor accommodating bushings 34, 35, respectively.

At its lower end, the shaft 13 is journaled in, and extends through, thebushing 34, terminating in a diametrally enlarged portion 36,substantially as shown in FIG. 2.

- Connected to the lower end of the diametrally enlarged portion 36,within the compressor casing 27, is a diametrally offset oreccentrically located shaft 37, which is connected to a piston 38forming part of the compressor 26, and connected to the lower end of theeccentrically located shaft 37 is a coaxially extending shaft 39 whichis journaled in the bushing 35 and is provided with a diametrallyenlarged head h. The operation and construction of the compressor 26 ismore fully described in copending application Serial No. 102,060, filedApril 10, 1961, and is, therefore, neither illustrated nor described indetail herein. A counterweight w is keyed to the shaft 39 in downwardlyspaced relation to the compressor 26 to counteract the offset weight ofthe eccentrically located shaft 37. The compressor 26 is charged with arefrigerant such as Freon-12 or the like through a conventional fitting(not shown) and, in gaseous form, is drawn from the high side of thesystem into the compressor through a port 40 formed in the upperend-plate 2%. The refrigerant is thereupon compressed and dischargedfrom the compressor 26 under pressure into a high pressure gas manifold41 mounted on the underside of the lower end-plate 29 and locatedconcentrically around the shaft 39, substantially as shown in FIG. 2.The refrigerant gas under pressure passes into the manifold 41 through acheckvalve 42 which consists of an arcuately shaped closure plate 43normally lying in ciosurewise position over the port 40 and havingoutwardly extending flanges 44. The flanges 44 are bolted to and seatedsecurely between two semi-circular clamps 45, 46, which are mounted onthe boss 33. Thus, the compressor 30 will operate under the properback-pressure and compressed refrigerant gas is discharged under highpressure into the gas manifold 41. Thereupon, the compressed refrigerantgas is conducted to the condenser tube 24 by means of a high-side gasline 47 which is connected to the upper portion of the condenser tube24, substantially as shown in FIG. 2. As the air passes around thecondenser tube 24 and out through the apertures 21, the refrigerant inthe condenser tube 24 will be condensed to a liquid state and thereuponpass through a condenser discharge tube 48 into a capillary tube 49spirally mounted on the inner surface of the housing 1.

Mounted on the upper surface of the bottom plate 3 within the housing 1is an evaporator support plate 51. Disposed within the housing 1 andsupported by the support plate 51 is a solid cylindrical disk 52 whichis internally bored at both ends to provide an upper chamber 53 andlower chamber 54. The lower chamber 54, which is defined by the boredout disk 52 and support plate 51, serves as an evaporator 55 which isflooded with liquid refrigerant, and mounted therein is a heat exchangecoil or worm 56 containing water or other liquid which is to be cooled.Connected to the heat exchange coil 56 and extending outwardly of thehousing 1 through apertures 57, 58, formed within the bottom plate 3,are a fluid inlet line 59 and a fluid outlet line 60, respectively, thelatter being provided with a conventional thermostat T which controlsthe electric current to the motor M. The disk 52 is further providedwith a bore 61 providing communication between the capillary tube 49 andthe evaporator 55, whereby the liquid refrigerant from the condensercoil 24 is delivered to the evaporator 55.

The upper chamber 53 is dished out at its lower portion to form atapered bottom portion 62 which serves as an oil separator 63. A seriesof circumferentially spaced capillary passages 64 connects the chamber54 with the chamber 53 and the oil separator 63. The disk 52 is furtherbored within the upper chamber 53 to provide an oil reservoir 65. Animpeller blade 66 is disposed within the reservoir 65 and is providedwith a shaft 67 which is threadedly connected to the lower end of therotatable shaft 39. The impeller blade 66, shaft 67, and shaft 39 areinternally bored to provide an oil supply line 68 for delivery of oil tothe bushing 35. The eccentrically located shaft 37 and the lower portionof the shaft 13 are internally bored to provide a continuation of theoil supply line 68 for supplying lubricating oil to the compressor 26and the bushing 34.

The operation of the liquid chilling compressor A is as follows. Theelectric motor M is energized, causing the armature 12 and the shaft 13carried therewith to rotate. The rotation of the armature 12 will causethe eccentrically located shaft 37 to rotate and thereupon rotate thepiston 38, operating the compressor 26 in the manner as described in theabove-mentioned copending application. As the compressor 26 is operated,the gaseous refrigerant in the chamber c is drawn into the compressor 26through the inlet port 40. When the gas refrigerant is compressed to thedesired pressure, it is then expelled through the check-valve 42 intothe gas manifold 41 where it is thereupon carried to the condenser tube24 through the high-side gas line 47. The rotation of the armature 12will, in turn, rotate the condenser casing 18 and cause air to be drawnupwardly into the area surrounding the condenser tube 24 and blown outthrough the air impellers. The rapidly moving air passing across thecondenser tube 24 in heat exchange relation to the high-pressurerefrigerant gas will thereupon condense the gaseous refrigerant into aliquid state. The liquid refrigerant is thereupon permitted to flowthrough the condenser discharge tube 48, the capillary tube 49, andthence into the chamber 54 forming part of the evaporator 55. A portionof the liquid refrigerant within the evaporator 55 will immediatelyvaporize upon expansion into the high-temperature, low-pressure area,and will pass through the evaporator tubes 64 into the hermeticallysealed chamber of the housing 1, as previously described. The oil whichis carried by the gaseous refrigerant from the compressor 26 will alsobe carried upwardly through the evaporator tubes 64 and into the oilseparator 63. As the oil is immiscible with the refrigerant at thelowtemperature of the low-side, the oil will separate from the gaseousrefrigerant and any liquid refrigerant carried therewith in the oilseparator 63. The oil will flow into the oil reservoir 65, whereupon theaction of the impeller blade 66 will force the oil upwardly through theoil supply line 68 for lubricating the bushings 34, 35, and thecompressor 26.

The load on the evaporator 55 is always determined by the amount offluid to be cooled that is passed into the heat exchange coil 56. Inthis connection, it is to be noted that the evaporator 55 is afull-flooded evaporator. When the evaporator 55 begins to run cold, thatis to say when the liquid being cooled by the evaporator 55 stays coldso that the load on the evaporator is accordingly reduced, theevaporator 55 may tend to return a small amount of liquid refrigerantentrained With the vaporized gas to the compressor 26, but suchentrained liquid, if it exists in the return flow, will be preventedfrom entering the compressor intake port 40 by the large space of theupper chamber 53 and the circuitous path created by the ports p. Whenthe load on the evaporator 55 is increased so that the evaporator 55begins to run warm, the evaporator 55 will return a greater portion ofgas into the compressor 26 and no entrained liquid refrigerant will tendto circulate.

It should be understood that changes and modifications in the form,construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of theliquid chilling devices may be made and substituted for those hereinshown and described without departing from the nature and principle ofmy invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. A refrigeration system for use in liquid chilling devices and thelike, said system comprising an outer housing internally subdivided intoa low pressure gas chamber which is adapted to store gaseousrefrigerant, an evaporator chamber and an upper chamber, an evaporatormounted within said housing and being located in said evaporatorchamber, means (within said housing providing communication between saidevaporator and upper chamber, means within the housing for permittingthe refrigerant to pass into the low pressure gas chamber afterexpansion in the evaporator, means for passing the liquid to be chilledthrough the evaporator, a compressor mounted within the housing abovesaid evaporator and being located in said upper chamber, meansoperatively connecting said evaporator to said compressor, a condensercoil mounted externally of said housing and communicating with saidcompressor, means connecting said condenser coil to said evaporator, andan electric motor mounted within said housing for operating saidcompressor and being located in said low pressure gas chamber.

2. A refrigeration system for use in liquid chilling devices and thelike, said system comprising an outer housing internally subdivided intoa low pressure gas chamber which is adapted to store low pressuregaseous refrigerant, an evaporator chamber and an upper chamber locatedabove the evaporator chamber and below the low pressure gas chamber, anevaporator mounted within said housing and being located in saidevaporator chamber, means within said housing providing communicationbetween said evaporator and upper chamber, means within the housing forpermitting the refrigerant to pass into the low pressure gas chamberafter expansion in the evaporator, means for passing the liquid to bechilled through the evaporator, a compressor mounted within the housingabove said evaporator and being located in said upper chamber, meansoperatively connecting said evaporator to said compressor, a condensercoil mounted externally of said housing and communicating with saidcompressor, means connecting said condenser coil to said evaporator, acondenser casing rotatably mounted on said housing and concentricallyencircling said condenser coil, said condenser casing having a pluralityof heat-dissipating fins, said casing further having a plurality ofair-intake apertures for permitting cooling air to pass around said coilin heat-exchange relation, and an electric motor mounted within saidhousing for operating said compressor and being located in said lowpressure gas chamber.

3. A refrigeration system for use in liquid chilling devices and thelike, said system comprising an outer housing, a full-flooded evaporatormounted within said housing, means for passing the liquid to be chilledthrough the evaporator, a compressor mounted within the housing abovesaid evaporator, an oil separator interposed between the evaporator andcompressor and being adapted to separate the oil from the refrigerantleaving the evaporator, a reservoir for collecting the oil, pumpingmeans provided in said reservoir for forcing the oil to the compressor,means operatively connecting said'evaporator to said compressor, acondenser coil mounted externally of said housing and communicating withsaid compressor, means connecting said condenser coil to saidevaporator, and motive means for operating said compressor and saidpumping means.

4. A refrigeration system for use in liquid chilling devices and thelike, said system comprising an outer housing, a full-flooded evaporatormounted within said housing, means for passing the liquid to be chilledthrough the evaporator, a compressor monuted within the housing abovesaid evaporator, an oil separator interposed between the evaporator andcompressor and being adapted to separate the oil from the refrigerantleaving the evaporator, a reservior for collecting the oil, pumpingmeans provided in said reservoir for forcing the oil to the compressor,means operatively connecting said evaporator to said compressor, acondenser coil mounted externally of said housing and communicating withsaid compressor, means connecting said condenser coil to saidevaporator, a condenser casing rotatably mounted on said housing andconcentrically encircling said condenser coil, said condenser casinghaving a plurality of heat-dissipating fins, said casing further havingair-intake means for permitting cooling air to pass around said coil inheat-exchange relation, and an electric motor mounted within saidhousing for operating said compressor and said pumping means.

5. A refrigeration system for use in liquid chilling devices and thelike, said system comprising an outer housing internally subdivided intoa low pressure gas chamber which is adapted to store low pressuregaseous refrigerant, an evaporator chamber and an upper chamber locatedabove the evaporator chamber and below the low pressure gas chamber, afull-flooded evaporator mounted within said housing, means for passingthe liquid to be chilled through the evaporator, a compressor mountedwithin the housing above said evaporator and being located in said upperchamber, a gas manifold mounted in the discharge side of the compressor,a check-valve mounted on the discharge side of the compressor and beinginterposed between the compressor and manifold for imposingunidirectional flow from the compressor to the manifold, meansoperatively connecting said evaporator to said compressor, a condensercoil mounted externally of said housing and communicating with saidcompressor, means connecting said condenser coil to said evaporator, acondenser casing rotatably mounted on said housing and concentricallyencircling said condenser coil, said condenser casing having a pluralityof heat-dissipating fins, said casing further having a plurality ofair-intake apertures for permitting cooling air to pass around said coilin heat-exchange relation, an electric motor mounted within said housingin vertically spaced relation to said compressor, and a verticallyextending shaft driven by said motor and being adapted to operate saidcompressor and rotate said condenser casing.

6. A refrigeration system for use in liquid chilling devices and thelike, said system comprising an outer housing internally subdivided intoa low pressure gas chamber which is adapted to store gaseousrefrigerant, an evaporator chamber and an upper chamber located betweenthe evaporator chamber and the low pressure gas chamber,

a full-flooded evaporator mounted within said housing and being locatedinsaid evaporator chamber, means within said housing providingcommunication between said evaporator and upper chamber, means withinthe housing for permitting the refrigerant to pass into the low pressuregas chamber after expansion in the evaporator, means for passing the.liquid to be chilled through the evaporator, a compressor mounted withinthe housing above said evaporator and being located in said upperchamber, an oil separator interposed between the evaporator andcompressor and being adapted to separate the oil from the refrigerantleaving the evaporator, a reservoir for collecting the oil, pumpingmeans provided in said I reservoir for forcing the oil to thecompressor, means operatively connecting said evaporator to saidcompressor, a condenser coil mounted externally of said housing andcommunicating with said compressor, a capillary tube connected at oneend to said condenser coil and at the other end to the evaporator, acondenser casing rotatably mounted on said housing and concentricallyencircling said condenser coil, said condenser casing having a pluralityof heat-dissipating fins, said casing further having air-intake meansfor permitting cooling air to pass around said coil in heat-exchangerelation, and an electric motor mounted within said housing foroperating said compressor.

7. A refrigeration system for use in liquid chilling devices and thelike, said system comprising an outer housing internally subdivided intoa low pressure gas chamber which is adapted to store low pressuregaseous refrigerant, an evaporator chamber and an upper chamber locatedabove the evaporator chamber and below the low pressure gas chamber, afull-flooded evaporator mounted within said housing, means for passingthe liquid to be chilled through the evaporator, a compressor mountedWithin the housing above said evaporator and being located in said upperchamber, means operatively connecting said evaporator to saidcompressor, a condenser coil mounted externally of said housing andcommunicating with said compressor, means connecting said condenser coilto said evaporator, a condenser casing rotatably mounted on said housingand concentrically encircling said condenser coil, said condenser casinghaving a plurality of heat-dissipating fins, said casing further havingair-intake means for permitting cooling air to pass around said coil inheatexchange relation, an electric motor mounted within said housing invertically spaced relation to said compressor, and a verticallyextending drive shaft driven by said motor, said drive shaft beingoperatively connected to a pump shaft eccentrically located with respectto said drive shaft, said pump shaft being operatively connected to saidcompressor.

8. A refrigeration system for use in liquid chilling devices and thelike, said system comprising an outer housing internally subdivided intoa low pressure gas chamber which is adapted to store gaseousrefrigerant, an evaporator chamber and an upper chamber located betweenthe evaporator chamber and the low pressure gas chamber, a full-floodedevaporator mounted within said housing, means within said housingproviding communication between said evaporator and upper chamber, meanswithin the housing for permitting the refrigerant to pass into the lowpressure gas chamber after expansion in the vevaporator, means forpassing the liquid to be chilled through the evaporator, -a compressormounted within the housing above said evaporator, means operativelyconnecting said evaporator to said compressor, a condenser coil mountedexternally of said housing, a gas manifold mounted on the discharge sideof said compressor, a highpressure gas line connecting said gas manifoldto said condenser, a capillary tube connected at one end to saidcondenser coil and at the other end to the evaporator, an oil separatorinterposed between said evaporator and said compressor, a condensercasing rotatably mounted on said housing and concentrically encirclingsaid condenser coil, said condenser casing having a plurality ofheatdissipating fins, said casing further having air-intake means forpermitting cooling air to pass around said coil in heat-exchangerelation, an electric motor mounted Within said housing in verticallyspaced relation to said compressor and being located in said lowpressure gas chamber, and a vertically extending drive shaft driven bysaid motor, said drive shaft being operatively connected to a pump shafteccentrically located with respect to said drive shaft, said pump shaftbeing operatively connected to said compressor.

9. A refrigeration system for use in liquid chilling devices and thelike, said system comprising an outer housing, a full-flooded evaporatormounted within said housing, means for passing the liquid to be chilledthrough the evaporator, a compressor mounted within the housing abovesaid evaporator, means operatively connecting said evaporator to saidcompressor, a condenser coil mounted externally of said housing, a gasmanifold mounted on the discharge side of said compressor, ahigh-pressure gas line connecting said gas manifold to said condenser, acheck-valve interposed between said compressor and said manifold andbeing adapted to impose unidirectional flow from the compressor to themanifold, a capillary tube connected at one end to said condenser coiland at the other end to the evaporator, an oil separator interposedbetween. said evaporator and said compressor, a condenser casingrotatably mounted on said housing and concentrically encircling saidcondenser coil, said condenser casing having a plurality ofheat-dissipating fins, said casing further having air-intake means forpermitting cooling air to pass around said coil in heat-exchange relaReferences Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,145,226 Bertsch July 6, 1915 1,204,061 Plekenpol Nov. 7, 19162,096,297 Goldner et al. Oct. 19, 1937 2,771,748 Prosek et al Nov. 27,1956 2,805,558 Knight Sept. 10, 1957 2,811,841 Grimshaw Nov. 5, 19573,025,684 McLain et al Mar. 20, 1962

1. A REFRIGERATION SYSTEM FOR USE IN LIQUID CHILLING DEVICES AND THELIKE, SAID SYSTEM COMPRISING AN OUTER HOUSING INTERNALLY SUBDIVIDED INTOA LOW PRESSURE GAS CHAMBER WHICH IS ADAPTED TO STORE GASEOUSREFRIGERANT, AN EVAPORATOR CHAMBER AND AN UPPER CHAMBER, AN EVAPORATORMOUNTED WITHIN SAID HOUSING AND BEING LOCATED IN SAID EVAPORATORCHAMBER, MEANS WITHIN SAID HOUSING PROVIDING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAIDEVAPORATOR AND UPPER CHAMBER, MEANS WITHIN THE HOUSING FOR PERMITTINGTHE REFRIGERANT TO PASS INTO THE LOW PRESSURE GAS CHAMBER AFTEREXPANSION IN THE EVAPORATOR, MEANS FOR PASSING THE LIQUID TO BE CHILLEDTHROUGH THE EVAPORATOR, A COMPRESSOR MOUNTED WITHIN THE HOUSING ABOVESAID EVAPORATOR AND BEING LOCATED IN SAID UPPER CHAMBER, MEANSOPERATIVELY CONNECT-